Caribbean Exploration Commission
Composed of experienced marksmen and boaters in the Gulf of Mexico, the Caribbean Exploration Commission is a group of explorers funded by Key West's mysterious schizophrenic ghoul mastermind known only as "The Banker". Dedicated to rediscovering the vast Caribbean sea, the commission is one of the few groups whose focus is on rebuilding and establishing a new humanity and with practically no success they have braved the open sea to venture forward to search for the island paradises promised by the Banker History The Caribbean Exploration Commission was founded in 2250 by the reclusive ghoul genius who identified himself as "The Banker". Calling all experienced boaters who were seeking adventure and riches, The Banker gathered around twenty men in Key West and presented the goal of rediscovering the dozens of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Presenting a pre-war map to the group they were in awe of the existence of so many islands and when offered fortunes for finding such islands and a place in history for helping to establish a post-war superpower all invited boaters joined and a charter was signed the following morning. At first the commission started slow, months were spent planning voyages into the Caribbean while word was spread that anyone willing to venture south into the vast sea for The Banker would be made rich upon success. Rumors continued to fluctuate with people painting a false picture of an untouched Caribbean Sea, which some religious leaders saw as a gift from God to those brave and strong enough to find it. Since 2255 the history of the Caribbean Exploration Commission has proven consistent. People from The Big Easy to the Orange Bowl have come to Key West seeking employment in the Commission whom one must have a membership with to claim a bounty for finding an island, while most are turned down and not given a spot on a crew the publicity the commission has gotten has attracted several fine explorers. An estimated hundred expeditions have gone out over the past few decades with no success, religious zealots claim it proof that a utopian society intended for the faithful exists while other rationals see it as proof of the sea's danger. Regardless of success, however, the heroism and bravery demonstrated by the explorers who, after knowing that less than three percent of boats return still venture into the Caribbean in search for paradise have made the explorers part of many folk tales and given those who fly the Commission's flag respect from most in the Gulf of Mexico. Goals The goals of the Caribbean Exploration Commission, while unifying in the desire to rediscover the Caribbean Sea vary greatly in the reasoning. The Banker wishes to use the explorers as operatives to discover land on which he may plant the seeds of an economic empire, turning the many islands which he believes to be fertile into lands for sugar, tobacco, coffee, indigo, and cotton plantations. With these plantations made, The Banker wishes to make a complete monopoly on the agrarian economy in the former Gulf Commonwealth and subsequently take over the Gulf of Mexico through a business takeover. Many however are more intrigued by the bounties offered by The Banker in exchange for finding islands vital to The Banker's plan. The amount offered for finding a safe route to or Haiti would be enough for one to retire and live like royalty for the remainder of their life and thus many fortune seekers have sailed to their doom for the Commission. Many however look to the possibility of the islands as a way to start over in a better world, the Caribbean was spared the brutality of bombing by the Chinese and Russians who focused their nuclear arsenal on America's commonwealths, ensuring the Caribbean like most of the world was only affected by nuclear winter which irradiated and wiped out most of the flora, fauna, and people. However the tales spun by The Banker have painted a picture of untouched natural beauty sparking many to see the voyage into the Caribbean as a pilgrimage to the promised land. Many believe the reason that most travelers never return is because they have found an untouched utopia from which they do not desire to leave. Monks in the Saint Christopher Plantation have encouraged many into joining the commission believing that St. Christopher's blessing may help them find this fabled biblical land of God. While it is obvious to the intelligent that such rumors are false, they have gained popularity amongst potential explorers and have ensured that members of the commission range anywhere from glory hunters, fortune seekers, outlaws on the run, and eccentric religious nuts looking for God's promised land. Category:Groups